12 managers to watch at the 2026 World Cup
Ancelotti took over Brazil, Tuchel took over England, Bielsa is back at a World Cup after 16 years. The bench stories that will shape the tournament.
If the group stage belongs to the stars, the knockouts belong to the managers. Twelve men whose decisions will shape the tournament.
Lionel Scaloni (Argentina)
47, reigning World Cup winner. Took the job in 2018 with no club track record — almost a scandal at the time — and delivered Copa América 2021, the 2022 World Cup and Copa América 2024. Contract extended through 2028. Scaloni is the leading candidate to match Vicente del Bosque's manager treble, but in a World Cup–Copa–World Cup pattern.
Didier Deschamps (France)
56, his last tournament in charge of Les Bleus — he announced in January 2025 he will step down after the World Cup. World champion as a player (1998) and as a coach (2018), runner-up in 2022. His task: a fourth straight tournament with at least a semi-final.
Carlo Ancelotti (Brazil)
66, took the Seleção job in spring 2025 after leaving Real Madrid. The first Italian ever to lead Brazil. Five Champions League titles on his CV, but a national team is a different discipline. The big question is whether Ancelotti can build chemistry in the group inside a year.
Luis de la Fuente (Spain)
64, Euro 2024 winner. Unlike the philosopher-coaches of the previous cycle (Luis Enrique, Lopetegui), de la Fuente plays pragmatic, direct football. Spain enters the tournament as Europe's top bet.
Julian Nagelsmann (Germany)
38, the second consecutive World Cup for Germany under a manager younger than 40. Took over in 2023 after Flick, navigated Euro 2024 (quarter-final exit to Spain). His main job: lift the post-Müller fog off the team.
Thomas Tuchel (England)
52, the first foreign manager of England at a tournament final stage. Replaced Gareth Southgate in autumn 2024 after an eight-year run of two semi-finals, a Euro final and several missed chances. With Bellingham, Saka and Kane, Tuchel's brief is simple — deliver a trophy.
Roberto Martínez (Portugal)
52, a Spaniard in charge of Portugal. Took over after Santos in 2023, exited Euro 2024 in the quarter-finals against France. The tournament is Cristiano Ronaldo's last shot at a trophy, and Martínez has to balance the captain-legend with Bruno Fernandes, Gonçalo Ramos and Rafael Leão.
Ronald Koeman (Netherlands)
62, in his second spell with the Dutch (the first was 2018–2020). At Euro 2024 the Netherlands reached the semi-final; in North America the Dutch have a chance to make their first World Cup final since 2010.
Marcelo Bielsa (Uruguay)
70, the cult coach returns to a World Cup after sixteen years — his last appearance was with Chile in 2010. The 2024–2025 Uruguay plays his signature pressing football with Darwin Núñez, Federico Valverde and José María Giménez. The group with Spain promises one of the tournament's ideological duels.
Mauricio Pochettino (United States)
54, took the USMNT job in September 2024. At home and under the international Pochettino brand, this is the United States' serious attempt to prove the host country is capable of more than the round of 16 it managed in 1994 and 2002.
Javier Aguirre (Mexico)
67, his third World Cup at the helm of Mexico (2002, 2010, 2026) — a record for a coach in a single national role. Target: take Mexico past the round of 16 away from home for the first time in history.
Hajime Moriyasu (Japan)
57, his second straight World Cup in charge. At Qatar 2022 Japan beat Germany and Spain in the group before falling to Croatia on penalties in the round of 16. In North America the target has been stated publicly — quarter-final and beyond.
